senator cruz was recently criticized for making some unverified allegations against chuck hagel last month. angela, what about this? is cruz just trying to make a name for himself with the tea party, or is he really on a witch-hunt? >> senator cruz is a rebel without a legitimate cause. i don't know what is going on with him. but every time you turn around, there is some new hyperbole that he is spewing. and today to see him talking about, you know, the president is the most radical president ever, i'm sorry, but i want to know what the definition of radical is, because to me, radical is a president who would come up with a mass communications campaign to deceive the american public into believing there are weapons of mass destruction. i hardly see anything that president obama has done as radical. >> senator barbara boxer loosely compared ted cruz to joe mccarthy. john nichols, your thoughts. that a fair comparison? >> sure it is. when you suggest that there are communists on a faculty, and then when you're pressed about it you don't answer the questions, you play around with it, th